Sofa bed lock



Dec. 24, 1957 A. DE BRUIN SOFA BED LOCK Filed Nov. 26, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A. DE BRUIN SOFA BED LOCK Dec. "24, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26,1954 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 24, 1957 A. DE BRUlN 2,817,100

SOFA BED LOCK I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 26 1954 INVENTOR. (zche'ozzO66 BY United States Patent ice SOFA BED LOCK Adrian De Bruin, Kenosha,Wis., assignor to Simmons Company, Kenosha, Wis.

Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,466

3 Claims. (Cl. -13) This invention relates to sofa beds of the typehaving a bed bottom comprising a plurality of hingedly connectedsections which are folded into a sofa frame to form a seat. Theinvention is particularly concerned with means for guiding the bedbottom when folded into a predetermined position in or on said frame,and for preventing sideward movement of the folded bed bottom when it isdisposed in seat position.

Sofa beds are quite bulky, and in shipment are quite often stood on endto facilitate car loading. The foldable bed bottom frame, together withthe mattress which it carries, constitutes a large part of the verysubstantial weight of a sofa bed, and while in the usual sofa bed, themeans provided for movably mounting the bed bottom in the sofa frame ismore than adequate to support the bed bottom in all usual positions,such support means are not designed to carry the full weight of the bedbottom and mattress when the sofa is stood on end. As a result, thestanding of sofa beds on end for shipment, and the shocks to which thesofa bed mechanisms are subjected in shipment, have at times causeddamage to the bed bottom suspension mechanism, resulting occasionally inmalfunctioning of the bed bottom mechanism or sufficient misalignment ofthe parts to cause undue wear of the upholstery on one arm or other ofthe sofa bed by the movement of the bed bottom into and out of the sofaframe during normal usage.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide simpleand economical means for securing the folded bed bottom within the sofaframe, and particularly for preventing sideward movement of the sofaframe when in seat position. Other objects and advantages will becomeapparent as the invention is explained with reference to the followingdrawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of only the essential parts of a sofa bed,showing the bed bottom in a partially folded condition just prior to itsfinal folding movement into seat position on the sofa frame. Certainportions of the structure have been broken away to better illustrate theelements of particular importance to the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1, but showing inprogress the final folding movement of the bed bottom into seat positionon the sofa frame;

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing thebed bottom fully folded into seat position on the sofa frame. As in thecase of Figure 1, portions of the structure are broken away to betterillustrate the pertinent details;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a rear lowercorner of the stationary sofa frame, and the adjacent corner of thefolded bed bottom, showing the locking interengagement of theirrespective parts for resisting sidewise movement of the bed bottom;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the inside of the front boards ofthe bed bottom and stationary frame respectively, just prior to movementof the bed bottom into final seat position, and illustrating in greaterdetail 2,817,100 Patented Dec. 24, 1957 the interengagement of thelocking members which prevent relative sideward movement of the bedbottom and frame at the front of the sofa;

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4, but showing from theback of the sofa a modified form of the arrangement of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 of Figure 6.

Briefly, a sofa bed in accordance with the invention is one in which thefoldable bed bottom is swingable into and out of seat-forming positionon the sofa frame and in which there are provided suitableinter-engaging guide means or abutments on the bed bottom and on thesofa frame for guiding the bed bottom into a predetermined positionlaterally of the sofa frame, and restraining it in that position againstwhatever sideward forces might be exerted upon it in normal handling anduse of a sofa bed.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, referring particularly to Figures1, 2 and 3, the sofa bed includes a normally stationary sofa frame 10including the usual upholstered arms with their supporting legs, and anupholstered back rest. These usual members are shown only in dottedoutlines which indicate generally their placement on a skeletal metalframe which is the basis of the stationary sofa member.

The skeletal frame is preferably of angle iron construction and includesa pair of side panels 12, each having a rear post 14 and a shorter frontpost 16 connected by a lower cross member 18 to which both posts arefurther secured by means of corner braces 20. The two side panels areconnected together at their front ends by a fixed front board 22 towhich they are bolted and which also serves to partly conceal the bedbottom frame when the latter is folded into seat position (Fig. 3).

The side panels are also connected together at their rear corners byupper and lower cross members 24 and 26 which, like the structuralmembers of the side frames, are preferably formed of angle iron. Theside panels are braced at their lower corners to the lower cross member26 by means of suitable corner braces 28, the form of which, in theembodiment of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, enters into the invention, aswill subsequently be described.

Also extending between the two side panels of the skeletal sofa frame isa back rest panel 30 which carries the upholstery of the back rest. Itis secured to the rear post members 14 of the side panels by means ofupper and lower braces 32 and 34, the lower brace 34 also serving as apoint of attachment for part of the bed ottom mounting means.

The bed bottom comprises four hingedly connected sections, viz, a headsection 36, an intermediate section 38, a connecting section 40, and aseat section 42, all of which may be disposed in co-planar alignment toform a bed. The bed bottom and its supporting mechanism as hereinillustrated, are shown in all essential elements in U. S. Patent No.2,595,038, issued to Edward E. Woller, and in U. S. Patent No.2,749,559, issued to John S. Petersen, both owned by the assignee ofthis invention. The foregoing patents contain a detailed description ofthe bed bottom and its several appurtenances, which will be repeatedhere only to the extent necessary to a clear understanding of thepresent invention.

The inner or head section 36 of the bed bottom is connected to the sofaframe by means of a pair of links 44 and 46 which determine for it afixed path of movement from the intermediate position of Figure l, tothe fully-folded, seat position of Figure 3. The intermediate section 38is supported and guided in this movement by its hinged connection to theinner or head section 36, and by a support arm or link 48 which ispivoted at oneendto abracke't 'Stlon the sofa frame, and at its otherend to a bracket 52 secured to the intermediate section. By comparingFigures 3, 2 and l, in that order, it will be observed that path ofmovement determined by-,:linksu4 4, 46 and 48 is such that in the finalmovernent ofthe folded bed bottom into seat position, the" lower rearedge of the folded bed bottom moves esseri tially rearwardly,whereas theforward end of the folded bed bottom moves essentially downwardly. Themovement of the bed bottom into seat position is cushioned by tension.springs 49 stretched between bracket 52 and the upper end of the frontpost 16.

In the bedposition (not shown), the bed bottom is supported by the links44, 46 and 48 which connect it to the sofa frame, and also by twofoldable legs 54 and 56 at each side of the bed bottom, the leg 54 beingpivoted to the intermediate section 38, and the other leg 56 to theouter section 42, which, referring to Figure 3, ultimately becomes thecushion-supporting or seat section of the sofa bed.

Also connected to the seat section 42 adjacent the connecting section 40is a movable front board 58 which is disposed beneath the bed bottom atsome distance when the latter is in bed position, but which assumes aposition in front of and generally paralleling the connecting section 40when the seat section 42 is folded into superposed relation to theintermediate section 38, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The linkage foraccomplishing this movement, as well as the folding and unfolding of thesupport legs, includes the links 60, 62 and 64. Also shown in thedrawings but not here described in detail, is a locking mechanism whichincludes the links 66, 68 and 70. These linkages, being disclosed in thepatents previously referred to, are not here again described, being nopart of the present invention.

The links 64 and 70 are actuated by the movement of the inner section 36relative to the intermediate section 38, being pivoted to an anglebracket 72 secured to the inner or head section 36 at a point spacedwell below the pivotal connection between the two sections 36 and 38, asseen in Figure 1. The angle bracket 72 and the corner brace 28 betweenthe side panel 12 and the lower rear cross member 26 of the stationaryframe are specially formed to achieve the purpose of the invention (seeFig. 4).

The bracket 72 is formed of a short section of angle iron, one leg ofwhich is placed back-to-back with the bottom flange of the side rail ofthe head section 36 and permanently secured thereto as by riveting orthe like. The other flange of the bracket 72 is offset sidewardly fromvertical flanges of the side rail of the head section 36 to provideclearance between the side rail and the link 70 for the passage of thehead of the hinge rivet 74 between the head and intermediate sections.The vertical flange of the angle bracket 72 thus extends downwardly inthe bed position, and rearwardly in the seat position, constituting atongue extending in the direction of movement of the inner portion ofthe bed bottom as it swings rearwardly into seat-forming position.

The corner brace 28 is similarly formed of angle iron with one flangedisposed in a vertical plane and the other extending toward the front ofthe sofa bed. The forwardly extending flange is provided with a notch 76aligned with the rearwardly-extending flange or tongue of the anglebracket 72, and encompasses that tongue as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 whenthe bed bottom is in seat position.

A single lock is provided for the front end of the folded bed bottom andis disposed preferably midway along the frontboards 22 and 58 whichextend between the sofa arms to conceal the folded bed bottom in seatposition. The front lock comprises an angle bracket 78 secured to thelower or fixed front board 22 with both of its flanges disposedvertically (see Figs. 1, 3 and the rearwardly extending flange beingprovided in its upper edge with a flared notch 80. The upper or movablefront board 58 which is secured to the bed bottom is provided with amating tongue 82, the engaging portion of which is offset rearwardly inalignment with the notch 80 of the angle bracket 78. The engagingportion of the tongue 82 is also provided with a flared central notch 84which, when the bed bottom is fully disposed in seat position, mateswith the rearwardly extending flange of the corner bracket 78 andeffectively prevents sideward movement of the movable front board 58.The flared notch 80 in the upper edge of the rearwardly extendingflangeof the angle bracket 78 serves to bring the two front boards intofront-to-rear alignment to assure the smooth appearance of the front ofthe sofa bed when disposed as a sofa.

It will be observed that the direction of engagement of theinterengaging members 72 and 28 of the rear locks is primarilyhorizontal, and that of the interengaging members 78 and 82 the frontlock primarily vertical, following the general path of movement of theadjacent parts of the bed bottom, as determined by the pair of links 44and 46 connecting the stationary frame 10 with the head section 36, andthe arm 48 connecting the frame with the intermediate section.

In Figures 6 and 7, there is illustrated a modification of rear cornerlock which may be used where it is not advantageous to utilize one ofthe structural elements of the stationary frame. In the modified form ofFig. 6, the rear corner lock includes an angle bracket 86 having oneflange disposed in a vertical plane and riveted to the rear cross member26 of the sofa frame, and the other flange extending forwardly in ahorizontal plane and provided with a flared notch 88 for receiving therearwardly extending tongue of the angle bracket 72 secured to the headsection 36 of the bottom. In either embodiment, any side thrust exertedon the folded bottom, as, for example, by its own weight and the weightof the mattress if the sofa bed should be upended, is sustained by thestationary frame 10 with practically no side movement of the bed bottom.

By means of the foregoing arrangements, in which side thrust exerted onthe bed bottom when folded in seat position is transmitted directly tothe frame, the supporting links and arms 44, 46 and 48 which guide andsupport the bed bottom in this movement can be efficiently and safelydesigned for loads exerted principally in vertical planes. This isparticularly important in those cases, for example, where the distancebetween the arms of the sofa bed is substantially greater than the widthof the bed bottom frame, and in which, heretofore, any side thrustexerted on or by the bed bottom was transferred to the stationary framethrough the supporting links, and from the movable front board directlyto the upholstered sofa arms.

The features of the invention believed to be new and patentable are setforth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sofa bed, a sofa frame, a bed bottom comprising a plurality ofhingedly connected sections which are foldable from bed position inwhich said sections extend forwardly of said sofa frame to a seatposition on said sofa frame, mounting means swingably connecting saidbed bottom to said sofa frame for carrying said bed bottom into seatposition on said sofa frame, through a fixed path of movement in whichthe rear portion of the bed bottom moves rearwardly into seat positionand the forward portion moves downwardly into seat position, separateinterengageable guide and lock means on said frame and rear portionrespectively and on said frame and forward portion of said bed bottomrespectively, for guiding said bed bottom into, and locking said bedbottom in, a predetermined position sidewardly of said sofa frame whensaid bed bottom moves into seat position.

2. In a sofa bed, a sofa frame, a bed bottom comprising a plurality ofhingedly connected sections foldable from bed position in which saidsections extend forwardly from said sofa frame to a position in whichsaid sections are folded and stowed on said sofa frame to form a seat,said sections including an innermost section pivotally connected to saidsofa frame for movement through a fixed path from and to a verticalposition at the rear of said frame, and an intermediate section pivotedto said innermost section and to a link which is also pivoted to saidframe whereby said intermediate section is movable through a fixed pathfrom and to horizontal position extending forwardly from the lower endof said innermost section when in seat position, the lower end of saidinnermost section moving rearwardly into seat position, the forward endof said intermediate section moving downwardly into said seat position,interengaging means on said frame and said lower end of the innermostsection respectively, and other interengaging means connected to theforward end of said intermediate section and to said frame respectively,for preventing sideward movement of said bed bottom when disposed inseat position.

3. In a sofa bed, a sofa frame having side arms, a bed bottom comprisinga plurality of hingedly connected sections foldable from bed position inwhich said sections extend forwardly from said sofa frame to a positionin which said sections are folded and stowed in said sofa frame to forma seat, said sections including an innermost section pivotally connectedto said sofa frame for movement through a fixed path from and to avertical position at the rear of said sofa frame, and an intermediatesection pivoted to said innermost section and to a link which is alsopivoted to said sofa frame whereby said intermediate section is movablethrough fixed path from and to horizontal position extending forwardlyfrom the lower end of said innermost section when in seat position, thelower end of said innermost section moving rearwardly into seatposition, the forward end of said intermediate section moving downwardlyinto seat position, a front board carried by said bed bottom anddisposed forwardly of said intermediate section in seat position, saidfront board in seat position extending between said side arms forconcealing said bed bottom, interengaging means on said sofa frame andon one of said innermost or intermediate sec tions adjacent the hingedconnection therebetween, for preventing sideward movement of said bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,352,989 Woller July 4, 1944

